Environmental Physics MCQs January 8, 2026August 13, 2024 by u930973931_answers 50 min Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. What is the primary source of energy for the Earth’s climate system? (A) Solar radiation (B) Geothermal energy (C) Wind energy (D) Ocean currents 2. What is the term for the process of energy transfer through electromagnetic waves? (A) Conduction (B) Radiation (C) Convection (D) Advection 3. What is the greenhouse effect? (A) Cooling of the Earth’s surface (B) Enhancement of ozone layer (C) Reduction in solar radiation reaching the Earth (D) Increase in Earth’s temperature due to trapped heat 4. What is the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming? (A) Carbon dioxide (B) Nitrogen (C) Oxygen (D) Argon 5. What is the term for the warming of the Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere due to increased greenhouse gases? (A) Ozone depletion (B) Urban heat island (C) Acid rain (D) Global warming 6. What type of energy is associated with the movement of air masses in the atmosphere? (A) Thermal energy (B) Potential energy (C) Kinetic energy (D) Chemical energy 7. What is the term for the process where warm air rises and cooler air sinks due to density differences? (A) Radiation (B) Conduction (C) Convection (D) Advection 8. What is the term for the energy required to change water from a liquid to a gas? (A) Latent heat of fusion (B) Specific heat capacity (C) Latent heat of vaporization (D) Sensible heat 9. What phenomenon describes the reflection and absorption of solar energy by the Earth’s surface and atmosphere? (A) Albedo effect (B) Greenhouse effect (C) Urban heat island (D) Ozone depletion 10. What is the term for the effect that causes warmer surfaces to emit infrared radiation? (A) Blackbody radiation (B) Solar radiation (C) Thermal conduction (D) Convection 11. What is the primary cause of sea level rise associated with global warming? (A) Oceanic upwelling (B) Increased evaporation (C) Melting of polar ice caps (D) Ocean currents 12. What is the term for the energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius? (A) Latent heat (B) Specific heat capacity (C) Thermal conductivity (D) Thermal inertia 13. What is the term for the measure of the amount of heat energy absorbed or released during a phase change? (A) Heat of reaction (B) Latent heat (C) Sensible heat (D) Specific heat 14. What process describes the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids (liquids or gases)? (A) Conduction (B) Convection (C) Radiation (D) Diffusion 15. What is the term for the phenomenon where urban areas experience higher temperatures than their rural surroundings? (A) Greenhouse effect (B) Urban heat island (C) Ozone depletion (D) Albedo effect 16. What is the term for the transfer of heat through direct contact between molecules? (A) Conduction (B) Convection (C) Radiation (D) Advection 17. What is the term for the reduction in atmospheric pressure with increasing altitude? (A) Pressure gradient (B) Barometric lapse rate (C) Altimetric pressure (D) Density lapse rate 18. What is the term for the variation in temperature caused by changes in atmospheric pressure? (A) Adiabatic process (B) Isothermal process (C) Isobaric process (D) Isenthalpic process 19. What is the term for the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface? (A) Thermal emission (B) Albedo (C) Greenhouse effect (D) Insolation 20. What is the effect of aerosols on Earth’s climate? (A) They enhance greenhouse warming (B) They decrease cloud formation (C) They increase the rate of evaporation (D) They scatter and absorb solar radiation, leading to cooling 21. What is the primary driver of wind patterns on Earth? (A) Ocean currents (B) Solar radiation (C) Atmospheric pressure differences (D) Earth’s magnetic field 22. What is the term for the transfer of heat from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere by electromagnetic waves? (A) Conduction (B) Radiation (C) Convection (D) Advection 23. What is the term for the effect where the presence of clouds can trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere? (A) Cloud radiative effect (B) Albedo effect (C) Urban heat island (D) Greenhouse effect 24. What is the term for the process by which heat is transferred from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere without direct contact? (A) Convection (B) Conduction (C) Radiation (D) Advection 25. What is the effect of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on Earth’s temperature? (A) Cooling (B) Warming (C) No effect (D) Stabilization 26. What is the term for the heat transfer process that occurs in the Earth’s mantle due to the movement of molten rock? (A) Advection (B) Conduction (C) Radiation (D) Convection 27. What is the term for the energy required to change a substance from a solid to a liquid at its melting point? (A) Latent heat of vaporization (B) Sensible heat (C) Specific heat (D) Latent heat of fusion 28. What is the term for the resistance of a material to heat flow? (A) Thermal resistance (B) Specific heat capacity (C) Thermal conductivity (D) Thermal inertia 29. What is the term for the ability of a material to store and release heat slowly? (A) Thermal conductivity (B) Specific heat capacity (C) Latent heat (D) Thermal inertia 30. What is the term for the fraction of solar radiation reflected by a surface? (A) Albedo (B) Insolation (C) Absorption (D) Emissivity 31. What is the term for the gradual process of energy transfer through molecular interactions in a material? (A) Radiation (B) Convection (C) Conduction (D) Advection 32. What is the term for the heat energy required to change a substance’s temperature without a phase change? (A) Specific heat (B) Latent heat (C) Sensible heat (D) Heat of reaction 33. What is the term for the increase in temperature with altitude in the troposphere? (A) Temperature inversion (B) Temperature gradient (C) Thermal gradient (D) Lapse rate 34. What is the term for the transfer of heat through the movement of the Earth’s crust? (A) Radiation (B) Conduction (C) Convection (D) Advection 35. What is the term for the energy that is transferred to or from a system due to a temperature difference? (A) Work (B) Heat (C) Power (D) Enthalpy 36. What is the term for the heat transfer process where fluid movement causes heat to be distributed? (A) Advection (B) Conduction (C) Radiation (D) Convection 37. What is the term for the warming effect of a surface that absorbs and reradiates heat energy? (A) Greenhouse effect (B) Albedo effect (C) Thermal inertia (D) Sensible heat 38. What is the term for the transfer of energy between the Earth’s surface and the atmosphere through direct electromagnetic radiation? (A) Advection (B) Conduction (C) Convection (D) Radiation 39. What is the term for the increase in temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere due to the absorption of solar energy? (A) Global warming (B) Urban heat island (C) Ozone depletion (D) Greenhouse effect 40. What is the term for the natural process by which heat is trapped in the atmosphere, keeping the Earth warm? (A) Ozone depletion (B) Urban heat island (C) Greenhouse effect (D) Thermal radiation 41. What is the primary effect of deforestation on climate? (A) Increase in biodiversity (B) Increase in temperature (C) Decrease in soil erosion (D) Increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide 42. What is the effect of volcanic eruptions on climate? (A) Cooling due to ash and sulfur dioxide (B) Warming due to greenhouse gases (C) No effect on climate (D) Increase in rainfall 43. What is the term for the long-term average of weather patterns in a region? (A) Weather (B) Climate (C) Season (D) Meteorology 44. What is the primary greenhouse gas released by livestock? (A) Methane (B) Carbon dioxide (C) Nitrous oxide (D) Ozone 45. What is the term for the gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth due to human activities? (A) Global cooling (B) Climate variability (C) Global warming (D) Climate stabilization 46. What is the term for the energy released during a chemical reaction? (A) Enthalpy (B) Heat of reaction (C) Specific heat (D) Thermal energy 47. What is the term for the process by which water vapor turns into liquid water? (A) Condensation (B) Evaporation (C) Precipitation (D) Sublimation 48. What is the primary cause of ocean currents? (A) Solar radiation (B) Earth’s rotation (C) Differences in water density (D) Wind patterns 49. What is the effect of climate change on weather patterns? (A) No effect (B) Stabilization of weather patterns (C) Decrease in precipitation (D) Increase in extreme weather events 50. What is the term for the chemical process that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? (A) Combustion (B) Respiration (C) Photosynthesis (D) Decomposition